Page:Fairy tales and stories (Andersen, Tegner).djvu/79

Rh his own point of view. They would make their arrangements accordingly, and so they did.

The little toy-theater was at once placed so that he could look straight into it; they wanted to begin with a play, and afterward there were to be tea and mental exercises, but they commenced with the latter. The rocking-horse talked about training and thoroughbreds, the perambulator about railways and steam power—all of which were matters connected with their occupations, and which they could discuss. The parlor clock talked about politics—tick-tick! it knew the time of the day, but it was said that it did not go correctly. The bamboo cane stood there, proud of its ferrule and silver button, because it was mounted both at top and toe; in the sofa lay two embroidered cushions; they looked very pretty and stupid.

And then the play was to begin.

All were seated and looked on; they had been requested to rap, crack, and rattle, according as they were pleased. But the riding-whip said he would never rap to old people, only to those who were not engaged to be married.

"I 'll crack to all and everything!" said the percussion cap. "One has to be in some place, after all!" thought the spittoon; this was the kind of thoughts they had in their minds as they sat at the play. The piece was not of much account, but it was well performed; all the actors turned their colored side to the audience, for they had only been made to be seen on the one side and not on the other. They all played excellently; they came right out in front of the stage; their strings were too long, but this made them all the more noticeable. The doll with the riveted neck became so excited that the rivets got loose, and the money-pig became so excited in his way that he made up his mind to do something for one of them, to put him in his will as the one who should be publicly buried with him, when the time came.

It was such a treat that they gave up tea and went on with mental exercises, which they called playing men and women, and there was no harm in that, for they were only playing—and everyone was thinking about himself and what the money-pig thought; but the money-pig's thoughts went farthest, for he was thinking about his will and burial and when it would come to pass—always sooner than you expect it! Crash!—and there he lay on the floor, all in bits and pieces, while the money danced and rolled about; the smaller pieces whirled round and round, and the bigger ones rolled along the floor, particularly one of the silver dollars, who wanted to see the world in earnest. And so he did, and so did all the rest; the pieces of the money-pig were thrown into the pail, but next day on the top of the chest of drawers stood a new money-pig of clay; as yet there was not a penny in him and so he could not rattle. In this respect he was like the other, and this was at any rate a beginning, so with this we will come to an end.